It’s a crime to smoke crack but it may also be illegal to try to sell a video of it for profit.

“If such a sale was done lawfully, GST would have to be paid on such a transaction,” said Toronto crime specialist Ross McLean.

But even without that, the former Toronto police officer said, the on-line campaign to purchase the alleged Mayor Rob Ford “crack” video from suspected drug world figures is rife with legal intrigue and law enforcement concerns.

“Areas in the Criminal Code that stand out as questionable are in the proceeds of crime and money laundering sections,” said McLean. “This is uncharted water for law enforcement and the Crown’s office, but they have laws to work with and will be reviewing them.”

It has been several days since the story broke about the video of the mayor allegedly smoking crack, more than $70,000 has been raised to buy it and reporters spent Victoria Day weekend stalking the guy.

It’s not Alice in Wonderland, The Osbournes, Kardashians, Truman Show or Celebrity Rehab.

It’s Toronto.

Meanwhile, Ford, sources say, will make a statement Tuesday which will either add heat to the flame or throw on some water.

There seems to be three camps. Those who want to destroy him. Those who feel there are people wanting to destroy him. And those who are reserving judgement until they see this video.

“He will be decisive,” said a person close to the mayor.

So what will he say?

Sources tell me it certainly won’t be an admission he was smoking crack and making homophobic and racist statements.

“He has already talked about it being ridiculous.”

Ford has been scarce since leaving City Hall Friday.

“I asked Rob to be straight up with me and he tells me he has no idea about what is in this video,” said Councillor Doug Ford, his brother. “Until we see the video, it’s difficult to comment but I can tell you that I have never seen Rob involved in anything like that.”

Another person who is a close friend of Ford told me Toronto’s 64th mayor was emphatic he has never smoked crack.

“He was very insistent,” said the friend.

So the key is in the video — the centre of a strange fund-raising drive which some media say started with a price of $20,000.

It has increased 10 times in value?

“We Are Raising $200,000 to buy and publish the Rob Ford Crack Tape,” said Gawker of its “Crackstarter” initiative.

If that’s not weird enough, the latest posts on this blog are as bizarre as the alleged incident itself.

“We have just updated the Crackstarter to include some new perks,” which included “if you donate $100 or more, you’ll receive a limited-edition hand-drawn digital painting of Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine by Gawker art director Jim Cooke.”

But here’s the kicker.

“Donate $10,000 and we’ll give you the actual iPhone that was used to record the video.”

Surreal. Will the public see a receipt to ensure the video really did cost $200,000?

“It seems like a form of extortion,” said Doug Ford. “I mean is any of this legal?”

McLean feels it may not be — citing the Ontario Act to Protect Victims By Prohibiting Profiting from Recounting of Crime and the offence laundering proceeds of crime sections of the Criminal Code which state “every one commits an offence who uses, transfers the possession of, sends or delivers to any person or place, transports, transmits, alters, disposes of any property.”

“This whole situation is murky and boarding on criminal,” said McLean. “In my reading of the Criminal Code, my feeling is whoever is involved the buying or selling of this video would be wise to be very careful.”

Ford to make statement about alleged crack video Tuesday

It’s a crime to smoke crack but it may also be illegal to try to sell a video of it for profit.

“If such a sale was done lawfully, GST would have to be paid on such a transaction,” said Toronto crime specialist Ross McLean.

But even without that, the former Toronto police officer said, the on-line campaign to purchase the alleged Mayor Rob Ford “crack” video from suspected drug world figures is rife with legal intrigue and law enforcement concerns.

“Areas in the Criminal Code that stand out as questionable are in the proceeds of crime and money laundering sections,” said McLean. “This is uncharted water for law enforcement and the Crown’s office, but they have laws to work with and will be reviewing them.”